After nearly 50 years in the car business, now self-storage in Dieren
DIEREN – For fifty years, Auto Jurrius was a household name in Dieren and the surrounding area. This week, Storage Share is opening a self-storage facility at the business premises on the corner of Imboslaan and Kanaalweg. Here, you can hire secure self-storage units ranging from 2 to 12 m². ‘For anyone who could do with a few extra square metres on a flexible basis, a storage facility like this is ideal.’
Anyone driving past the premises on the main road between Dieren and Eerbeek is bound to take a second look. Through the large glass windows, there are no longer any cars to be seen. Instead, rows of self-storage units stand ready to be filled with belongings. ‘Whether it’s temporary storage because of a house move, a cluttered room that needs clearing out ahead of a new baby, or a divorce that means you suddenly need somewhere to store furniture and other belongings: a storage unit often comes in handy,’ explains Julian Doorten, co-owner of Storage Share.
Smaller towns and villages
Storage Share rents out storage units at dozens of locations across the Netherlands, in small towns and villages. Doorten: ‘We deliberately choose these locations. Most providers of this sort of space focus on the larger towns, whilst I know from experience that there’s a real need for flexible storage units in less urban areas too.’
When Doorten was tipped off about the Jurrius brothers’ commercial premises in Dieren, he was immediately enthusiastic. ‘It’s on a busy road, has lots of glass and is low-rise. That’s perfect for self-storage. What’s more, the location is interesting from a regional perspective, as there are few other options for renting extra square metres nearby. For that, you’d have to go to Arnhem: easily a half-hour’s drive.’ Once he’d spoken to the landlords, Doorten became even more enthusiastic. ‘I’m not from this area, but my parents are car dealers. We’re renting out former car showrooms in various places across the country. That can hardly be a coincidence. When I heard about the history of this commercial property, I was immediately excited. It turned out that Theo and Peter Jurrius, with their car business, had attracted a large number of customers in Dieren and the surrounding area.’
Showroom on air cushions
The brothers have been letting the premises since March 2017, but they still remember their years at the helm of their car business as if it were yesterday. ‘We were Ford dealers, sold second-hand cars and had a workshop,’ recalls Theo Jurrius. ‘We also let out a petrol station. We still do that today.’
Theo and Peter Jurrius moved into the business premises on the N786 in 1987. ‘We started operating as a Ford dealer in 1988. That took quite a bit of effort. Ford constantly set high standards for the building. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been allowed to continue using their brand name for our business,’ explains Theo Jurrius. ‘Among other things, this meant that in 2006 we had to raise the showroom by one metre. Raising a 1,200 m² area isn’t something you can do overnight, of course. In the end, the building was placed on a sort of air cushion to make this possible. It was essential that there was no wind, to prevent the whole thing from collapsing.’ After thorough preparation, the job was completed in a single day. ‘People came from far and wide to watch. Fortunately, it all went well.’
No blemish on the building
With 500 to 550 cars sold per year, a regular customer base of around 1,400 people and 200 to 300 refuelling stops per day, Auto Jurrius was a thriving business. In 2017, however, the brothers decided to call it a day and let the premises to Autobedrijf Wijnne. Theo Jurrius: ‘They were there for five years, but decided not to renew their lease because of Covid, staff shortages and because it was becoming increasingly difficult to source good cars.’ As a result, the commercial premises on Imboslaan stood empty for some time, until Doorten came knocking. Jurrius: ‘We’re selective when it comes to tenants. We want them to look after the premises properly, not sell rubbish and treat their customers with respect. That way, the property’s reputation remains unblemished. When Julian told us about Storage Share and we’d read and heard a bit about his company, we knew it was a good fit.’
And so, after a few weeks of refurbishment, Dieren now has another self-storage facility. Doorten: ‘We want to make things as easy as possible for our tenants. That’s why you can always access the premises using your mobile phone. Our sites are unstaffed, but not unmanaged. If the door won’t open or there’s any other issue, you can contact us 24 hours a day for help. In addition, the building is fitted with CCTV and all units have personalised locks.’ The Jurrius brothers are pleased with their successors. ‘It takes a bit of getting used to the fact that there are no longer any cars in the building, but it looks neat and fresh. We are fully confident that Storage Share will be a valuable asset to local residents for the next 25 years.’
Click here for information about our storage units in Dieren.
